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Israel: Iran's Security Chief Killed in Tehran Strike; Trump will 'Soon' Announce Nations Helping with Strait of Hormuz; Trump to Postpone Trip to China Amid War with Iran; DHS: 300 TSA Agents Quit Since Start of Partial Shutdown. Aired 6-6:30a ET

Aired March 17, 2026 - 06:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN ANCHOR: -- it wasn't a flood zone. The couple says that they're grateful to have each other and that they will just start to rebuild.

[06:00:07]

OK. That's going to do it for this hour of EARLY START. Our thanks to Eleni Giokos in Dubai. Rahel Solomon in New York. CNN THIS MORNING starts right now.

AUDIE CORNISH, CNN ANCHOR: President Trump's call for help in the war with Iran. This morning, we know which nations are out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEIR STARMER, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We'll not be drawn into the wider war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: So, who exactly is in? The president promises he'll name a coalition soon.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

(SOUNDS OF MISSILES EXPLODING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: So, American assets under fire in the Middle East still. A furious battle as Iran targets a U.S. embassy overnight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: They weren't supposed to go after all these other countries in the Middle East. Nobody expected that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: The president says nobody saw it coming. We're going to talk to a former ambassador from a Gulf state. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE, FORMER REPUBLICAN GEORGIA REPRESENTATIVE: The longer it goes on, it definitely does hurt J.D. Vance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: J.D. Vance versus Marco Rubio. Did the war in Iran shift the high-stakes horse race to be Trump's successor?

CNN THIS MORNING starts right now.

All right, so you've got drones and rockets targeting the U.S. embassy in Iraq. Look at this video into CNN, showing explosions lighting up the night sky.

Morning, everybody. I'm Audie Cornish. We're going to start with that attack in Baghdad. It's one of several breaking developments that we're following right now.

So, air defense systems shot down two drones. We're told that system fires 4,500 rounds a minute. A third hit inside the embassy compound. That's according -- according to Reuters. No word on damage or casualties yet.

Also, this into CNN. Israel says that Iran's top security chief has been killed. The Israelis say that this happened in an airstrike on Tehran. We're bringing in now CNN's Oren Liebermann in Tel Aviv.

Oren, can you talk about this attack and who they say has been killed?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Israel's defense minister, Israel Katz, announced a short time ago that, in an overnight strike in Tehran, Israel had killed, in a targeted assassination, Ali Larijani, one of the most vocal and visible members remaining of Iran's top leadership.

Larijani was the de facto decision maker here after the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the beginning of the war, and he was one of the key leaders of Iran, especially on the security front. And that put him very much at the top of Israel's target list.

Israel carried out a wave of strikes last night. At first, Israel announced that those strikes targeted several cities, including Tehran, saying that they targeted ballistic missile production facilities and more.

But several -- just a bit after that, we had learned that one of the key targets there was Larijani, as Israel continues to go after Iran's top leadership.

Then a short time ago, the defense minister putting out a statement, making it clear that not only does Israel assess it has killed Larijani, but that Israel will continue to target the top leadership of Iran. Katz said in that statement that, with Prime Minister Benjamin

Netanyahu, they would continue to go after Iran's top leadership in an effort to try to weaken the Iranian regime. So that very much continues.

But Audie, it's not just Larijani here. Israel also says they killed the commander of the Basij paramilitary force. And an Israeli source tells CNN that other senior leaders in that Basij paramilitary force, which Israel says had been used to crack down on protests that we saw earlier this year, were also killed in strikes targeting that force. That, one of the key forces or key arms of Iran's security apparatus.

So, Audie, you can see here, Israel going after not only the leadership but also the security leadership of the country, just working its way down that command structure.

CORNISH: OK that's Oren Liebermann, speaking to us from Tel Aviv.

Now to President Trump. Not happy with the response, at least so far, to his call for European nations to send ships to help protect the Strait of Hormuz.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We defend all these countries and then, do you have any minesweepers? And they say, Well, would it be possible for us not to get involved?

We spend trillions and trillions of dollars on NATO to defend other countries. And I always said, but if it ever comes time to defend us, they're not going to be there. Many of them would not be there. And we're going to have to start thinking more wisely in this country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: Today in the group chat: Jeff Zeleny, CNN chief national affairs correspondent; Chuck Rocha, Democratic strategist and former senior advisor to Bernie Sanders' presidential campaigns; and Ashley Davis, former White House official under President George W. Bush.

Ashley, as the show was starting, we were talking about the Coalition of the Willing era from the Bush era, versus whatever this is now: the Coalition of the Vaguely Unwilling.

What did you see in how the president was talking about allies now?

ASHLEY DAVIS, FORMER WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL UNDER GEORGE W. BUSH: Well, first of all, I think the Coalition of the Willing was a different time, just because, remember America was attacked first. So, there was a lot of people that were coming up and surrounding and helping us during that time.

But I also think what's going to happen to NATO after this, because at least as long as President Trump's there, he's going to get very angry in regards to American dollars going towards NATO. Here's why things happen in Europe. First of all, they don't have that many ships to give. I mean, a lot of them do not have ones that are ready to go, especially in places like England and France.

But also, they are giving a ton of money and have a very unpopular populist message that's happening with their support of Ukraine right now. I mean, obviously, that's something you've seen for the last few years in the United States, of don't give any more money to Ukraine. That has been starting over the last year.

So, I think they're -- meaning the leaders of Europe -- are really fighting their battles back home, in regards to their people do not want to get involved in a war that was not started by them.

CORNISH: Maybe that is what we're seeing in the reflection of some of these country responses. We did a roundup. I'm going to start with Estonia: quote, "It's a bit rich."

Australia: "We won't be sending a ship to the Strait of Hormuz."

Germany: "It is not NATO's war."

"Diplomacy needs to prevail." That from Italy.

Can you talk about the way they have responded, especially since the perception was, due to the leverage with tariffs, Trump had a lot of control and leverage.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, a lot of that has gone away, first and foremost. But the biggest part is, I mean, you don't ask for help after the fact.

I mean, the biggest difference between the Coalition of the Willing is that, yes, there was an attack, obviously, but President Bush and the Bush administration built this coalition, really, for more than a year.

Now, this is something that the Trump administration did with Israel's help. And then, after the fact, now -- we're three weeks on -- is suddenly asking for help. But then not and then saying, we don't really need the help.

CORNISH: Not just three weeks on. Can I show you this Donald Trump --

ZELENY: Sure.

CORNISH: -- Truth Social post from March 7. You probably remember this. It was a reply to the U.K.

He said, "The U.K. our once Great Ally, maybe the greatest of them all, finally giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East." Right? This was weeks ago.

Here's what we're pointing out. "Prime Minister Starmer, we don't need them any longer. We don't need people that join wars after we've already won." Here we are, weeks later. Sounds like we haven't won, if he's now

making another round of requests.

ZELENY: It makes it seem like there really wasn't a long-term plan here. I mean the reality is, again, asking for the allies' help after saying things like that makes it very, very difficult.

So, look, the bottom line is the White House and the president have said there's going to be a list of allies who are helping. That will be a pretty short list. I'm not sure who would be on it.

But to Ashley's point, there aren't just a ton of extra ships sitting around.

CORNISH: No. And --

ZELENY: So, it's -- it's more than just air power.

DAVIS: Not that many who can help.

CORNISH: Yes, yes. Well, but he's asking, right? So, obviously, there's a need, and there's --

ZELENY: There's definitely a need. Without a doubt.

CORNISH: Yes. We're trying to understand.

CHUCK ROCHA, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Does the Board of Peace have a navy? Because I saw him with the Board of Peace not that long ago, with all of these nations sitting at the building of peace.

CORNISH: Over Gaza. Yes.

ROCHA: Yes And so, those were supposedly our friends. Do any of them have a navy? I know you may be a navy expert. I am not, but I will tell you that this war is not popular. And what's happening right now is not popular.

And I think that that's why you feel the tension at the White House tightening, because the American people are fed up with paying $5 a gallon for diesel.

CORNISH: The other thing we want to talk about is the issue of China, right? The president was supposed to be having a meeting, I think, towards the end of the month.

We've learned President Trump is now asking to postpone that meeting with President Xi by a month or so. And he was actually asked about this in the Oval Office. I think we have that for you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you still plan to travel to Beijing at the end of this?

TRUMP: I don't know. We're working on that right now. I -- we're speaking to China. I'd love to. But because of the war, I want to be here. I have to be here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: Can you talk about that? Yesterday, we were showing Chinese state media sort of mocking the president's interest in getting allies to come on board.

How does this jeopardize this long-running effort to really build relationships with China?

ZELENY: I mean, this was intended to be the -- the foreign policy focal point of this administration. Many Trump supporters thought that China would be kind of the biggest challenge.

I think the reality here is what that sort of shined a light on. The trip was supposed to be at the end of the month of March 31, I think. It means that this war is likely to be still going on by then.

[06:10:08]

And that, of course, in and of itself, is news because initially, the president said just a couple of weeks, a few days, a couple of weeks, whatever. So that, I think, is probably the biggest fallout from this at the end of the day, though, it was hard to sort of see what was going to come from that meeting, because there weren't exactly any deliverable goals that were sort of agreed to by both sides.

CORNISH: Well, considering that oil, that Iran sells its oil to China.

ZELENY: Right.

CORNISH: I'm sure I would think he'd want to sit in a room and say, hey, we need some help. You're a customer.

DAVIS: Well, also, China --

ZELENY: I mean, you could argue -- I think you could argue the meeting is more important now than ever, but now that it's not going to happen for another month, it's a -- a tell.

DAVIS: There's two things. Remember, there was a lot of talk at the beginning that it was going to be a 4-to-6-week war. I do understand he did say a couple of days, but there was a 4-to-6-week period.

Also remember, let's remember China is giving drones to Iran. And they've been giving them to him for a long time. And this is something I think is really important: that we are behind on, meaning the United States.

China and Russia have been buying 400 -- 4 million of those $30,000 drones. We have been buying 1 million a year. And so -- and if you look at where we're losing this, if we are at all, it is where they are shooting these. They can shoot 100 missiles -- 100 drones at one time. And we, in our military capability, can't grab them all.

CORNISH: Right. DAVIS: And so, these -- this is new warfare, as far as I'm concerned. And I think it's something of a transition.

CORNISH: Yes. People have been talking about asymmetrical warfare. We're going to talk more about all of this going ahead this hour. Stay with me. Because are ground troops on the way to the Middle East? The ship full of Marines now en route.

Plus, the man who became the face of President Trump's immigration crackdown is retiring.

And no pay, no more patience. TSA union leaders speak out as agents are quitting their jobs.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To be quite frank, officers are pissed off. And we're not just talking about here in Atlanta. We're talking about nationwide. The officers are pissed off. They want this to end.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:16:45]

CORNISH: OK, it's now 16 minutes past the hour. This is your morning roundup. Things you need to know to get your day going.

So, looking right now live, the U.S. possibly beefing up its presence in the Middle East. A U.S. Navy warship believed to be carrying thousands of Marines and sailors heading that way.

These are images of the U.S.S. Tripoli. This is live, which is now passing Singapore. And it comes as we're also learning that about 200 U.S. Troops have been injured in seven different countries since the start of U.S. strikes on Iran.

And Cuba is working to restore power after an island-wide blackout hit yesterday, some 11 million people left in the dark after its power grid collapsed.

Now, this is the first nationwide collapse since the U.S. shut off oil flow to the island. In the Oval Office yesterday, President Trump mentioned taking over Cuba.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: When will the United States do it? I do believe I'll be the honor of -- having the honor of taking Cuba. That'd be good. That's a big honor.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Taking Cuba?

TRUMP: Taking Cuba in some form. Yes, taking Cuba. I mean, whether I free it, take it. I think I could do anything I want with it. You want to know the truth? A very weakened nation right now. They were for a long time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: And top Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino plans to retire at the end of the month. Two sources telling CNN that Bovino, of course, led mass deployments of federal immigration officials in major cities, including Minneapolis, when two U.S. citizens were shot and killed.

And a federal jug [SIC] -- judge blocking part of the health secretary, RFK Jr.'s, efforts to overhaul vaccine policy.

Now, Kennedy had pushed to scale back the number of vaccines recommended for kids as part of the CDC's routine immunization schedule.

But this ruling says the changes Kennedy made did not follow proper legal procedure.

And a chaotic weather system calming down this morning after bringing blizzards, extreme winds, and major travel disruptions from the Gulf coast to the Great Lakes.

Now, one city in Wisconsin saw its snowiest day ever. We're talking a record 23.4 inches in a day.

And several states are cleaning up after damaging tornadoes and strong winds.

And after the break on CNN THIS MORNING, there are still long lines, some stretching more than two hours long. I'm going to be talking to a TSA agent next as they wait for Congress to, you know, do their jobs and make a deal.

Plus, President Trump says nobody expected Iran to target neighboring countries. Is that true? I'm going to be talking to a former ambassador to Oman.

Good morning to savannah, Georgia the city getting ready for its annual St. Patrick's Day parade. It's actually one of the largest in the country.

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[06:23:58]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my God, are these the lines for TSA? That's crazy. Insane.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I could, like, punch through a wall right now.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's ridiculously frustrating. Then to know that -- you know, and it's not their fault, because they're not getting paid. And they're going to come in here. I wouldn't do it either. But just adds to the layers of your frustration.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: OK. Security lines are long and slow, and TSA agents are working without pay. And that's with no end in sight thanks to this partial government shutdown.

So, there's this financial burden on some TSA workers, which is forcing some of them to call out or even quit. DHS says some 300 agents have resigned.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AARON BARKER, UNION LEADER, AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES: Many are coping with eviction notices, vehicle repossessions, empty refrigerators, and overdrawn bank accounts. Every available financial option has been exhausted. Yet, these officers are still coming to work to protect the traveling public.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: Joining me now, George Borek. He is a TSA worker in Atlanta he's also the union steward for the American Federation of Government Employees.

George, thank you so much for being with us this morning. And I wanted to play that piece of tape from this other union leader, because he's talking about empty refrigerators and repossessed cars. What are you hearing from some of your union members?

GEORGE BOREK, UNION STEWART, AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES: Well, Aaron -- when Aaron spoke yesterday, he's absolutely 100 percent correct. And -- but it goes into deeper because those are just some of the things that are affecting our officers.

You know, officers come up to me every day, and they ask me, you know, what -- what can I do with -- with not having ability to pay my rent? You know, what can I do to get food in my refrigerator?

I mean, it's frustrating, because they're being hit so hard. And they have to make real-life choices at this point, because you can't -- you cannot continue going day in and day out the way we are.

CORNISH: And of course, there aren't the same resources that there were the first time around with the larger government shutdown, even in terms of public support, right? I mean, there used to be food banks and all kinds of things to try and help federal workers.

Well, I think the difference this time is, is that the shutdown is limited to a certain government agency.

In the fall, when you had such a wider net, it affected so many more people. And quite frankly -- quite frankly, I don't think the general public really knows that you know, the Homeland Security is shut down, because it doesn't affect them on a day-to-day basis.

It only affects them once they go into an airport, and they see the long lines.

CORNISH: Yes.

BOREK: And then they're saying -- they're scratching their heads like what's going on?

CORNISH: And of course, we've got major travel dates coming up: spring break, Easter, Memorial Day weekend, FIFA, not to mention the country's own birthday.

You know, I was thinking about the fact that the transportation secretary has been out there saying that long lines are, you know, just your time at the airport, that safety is not being impacted. I want you to listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEAN DUFFY, U.S. TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: The reason you have such long lines is because TSA is looking at everybody who, you know, comes through the line, right? They're not short-changing it because they have less people. The line is long because they have less people, and it takes longer to actually screen them.

So, it's not impacting safety and security at the airport. It's just your time at the airport.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CORNISH: This is not me questioning how you do your job. But given these constraints, is security going to be affected by this?

BOREK: Listen, let me -- let me say this. You know, TSA has some of the best equipment in the world. But -- but in order to properly utilize it, you have to have people, physical people there manning the machines.

So, yes, we will continue doing our job and, you know, maintaining the safety controls. But when, you know, on a given day -- and I'll just use this as an analogy.

I mean, on a given day, if I have 100 people on a checkpoint working, but today I only have 35, I mean, we're still going to do what we do, but it absolutely impacts how -- how many people we process in a given time span.

So, it's going to have a direct impact that way. But we do have the best equipment in the world to be able to screen and look for things that are prohibited to go on airlines.

CORNISH: George have you thought about quitting?

BOREK: Listen, you know, for me, I -- it doesn't impact me the same way as it may impact the younger officers we have. Listen, I can -- I can go the long haul on this. But I am committed to my -- my job.

I mean, one of the reasons I came into TSA is because I was a Jersey City firefighter and was around New York City in '93 and 2001. We had the tragic events happen in -- at the World Trade Center.

So, to me, it's more of a personal commitment to keep -- you know, to make the skies safer and keep on doing -- doing this. But certainly, there may come a time -- may come a time that I have to reconsider or revisit or relook if this continues in the longer fashion.

CORNISH: OK, George. I hope that doesn't happen. I want to thank you for your service. That's a long career, and we appreciate you. Thank you for talking with us this morning.

BOREK: Thank you

CORNISH: Straight ahead on CNN THIS MORNING, will the vice president's stance on foreign intervention put him on the outs in this White House?

Plus, dire conditions on a U.S. aircraft carrier. Why soldiers in the Middle East now sleeping on tables and the floor.

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